This invention relates to an apparatus and method for draining used engine oil from vehicles and the like wherein a catch pan and a container are utilized for receiving and containing used oil for transport to a suitable location for disposal in an environmentally desirable fashion.
Used vehicle engine oil is a common source of contamination of soil and water, and its proper disposal is high on the list of environmental projects. Attempts to dispose of engine oil in a suitable fashion have been many and varied and have included the use of disposable containers which may be in the form of plastic bags. Drainage apparatus employing plastic bags is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,257 wherein the bag is received through an opening in the side of a collection funnel and the top of the bag is passed over the top of the funnel so as to avoid contamination of the funnel while containing the oil discharged from the vehicle into the funnel. Such an apparatus has the disadvantage of being difficult to manipulate when draining used engine oil during an oil change by one changing his own oil. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. further illustrate the state of the art: 4,025,048; 4,033,432; 4,269,237; 4,592,448; and 4,756,349.